Harbour Porpoise

The harbour porpoise, belongs to the toothed whales, forming a seperate family.

With its body length being only 1,5-2 m, it is the smallest of all whale species. The back is dark grey in colour, getting lighter towards the sides and belly. The snout is round, unlike dolphins, and the head is relatively small.

The harbour porpoise feeds primarily on various small fish, but also herring and capelin. While trying to snatch fish from the nets, it increasingly gets tangled up in fishing gear and drowns, which results in a serious population decline.

The porpoise is shy, rarely leap, and tends to stay away from boats and ships. Being so small, it is difficult to spot. Preferring shallow waters, groups of porpoises can be seen in fjords and bays, and sometimes in estuaries.

The local population is believed to be 25,000-27,000 animals. They often form large groups of up to 250 individuals.